Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet feed device that feeds a sheet, such as a recording sheet, in a predetermined sheet feed direction, and an image forming apparatus, such as a copier, a multifunction peripheral, a printer, or a FAX machine, including the same.
Description of the Related Art
One conventionally known sheet feed device (what is known as a sheet feeder) that feeds a sheet, such as a recording sheet, in a predetermined sheet feed direction includes: a stacking tray on which sheets, such as recording sheets, are stacked in a liftable manner; and an openable cover that can be opened and closed to cover the stacking tray.
For example, when the sheet feed device no longer includes the sheets on the stacking tray, a user performs a sheet supplying operation for supplying the sheets, with the openable cover open. When the sheets are supplied, the stacking tray is lowered so that a sheet supplied space is ensured on the stacking tray.
When the user opens the openable cover for supplying the sheets while a sheet feeding operation by the sheet feed device is in process, emergency stop of sheet conveyance is activated with the sheet nipped between a pair of feed rollers. When the stacking tray starts lowering for the sheet supplying, the sheet remains nipped by the feed roller and hinders the sheet supplying operation on the stacking tray.
When paper jam occurs in the image forming apparatus while the sheet is being conveyed, the apparatus might stop with the sheet being nipped by conveyance rollers. Various techniques have been proposed to make the removal of the sheet nipped between the rollers easy for the user. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H6-1492 discloses a configuration in which when a sheet fed from a manual feed tray is jammed at a registration rollers, the sheet can be pulled out from a manual feed tray side with the nipping between the registration rollers released.